Monday, October 26, 2009

John Angus McVEIGH and his wife Nellie Sue GRIMSLEY McVEIGH were my great aunt and uncle. They were great favorites and we loved when they came to visit. They were killed in a car accident in Williamsburg County, SC.

Mrs. Nellie Sue Grimsley Childers McVeigh, 63, of 310 S. Covington, died Friday in Georgetown County from a car-truck accident.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at First Southern Methodist Church, with burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery, directed by Waters Funeral Home.

Mrs. McVeigh was born in Florence, the daughter of Mrs. Leila David Grimsley and the late John W. Grimsley. She was a member of the First Southern Methodist Church, the Marie Dennis Missionary Circle, and a teacher of the Nettie Ellison Sunday School Class, WWI Barracks, Daughters of the American Revolution, V.F.W. Auxillary, Kings Daughters DAR, U.T.U. Auxillary.

Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Thomas L. Howle, Jr. of Roxboro, N.C.; one son, Franklin Edward Childers of Brunswick, Ga.; her mother, of Florence; three sisters, Mrs. Louise Fogle, Newport News, Va., Mrs. Marion A. Brown and Mrs. Leila Jean Smith, both of Charleston, S.C.; five brothers, Ernest E. Grimsley of Portsmouth, Va., George T. Grimsley and John E. Grimsley, both of Newport News, Va., Richard J. Grimsley of Charleston, and Allen E. Grimsley of Atlanta, Ga.; six grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

John A. L. McVeigh

John Angus Lawrence McVeigh, 76, of 310 S. Covington, died Friday in Williamsburg County as a result of a car accident.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at First Southern Methodist Church, with burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery, directed by Waters Funeral Home.

Mr. McVeigh was born in Waynesville, Ga., the son of the late James L. McVeigh and Rebecca Wright McVeigh. He was a retired trainman and a member of the First Southern Methodist Church. He was a veteran of World War I. He was a member of World War I Barracks, U.T.U. V.F.W. and the Willard Bible Sunday School Class.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Miss Betsy Marie Childers, of this city, became the bride of Thomas Laverne Howle Jr., also of Florence, at the Southern Methodist Church. Tuesday evening, the Rev. C. M. Pullin officiating.

Cathedral candles in tall standing candelabra and floor baskets of white gladioli and greenery, with a background of Southern smilax and ivy, on white, formed an effective setting for the nuptials.

J.H.P. Bass, organist, rendered a number of selections, including "Liebestraum," and Miss Mary Kemp Griffin, vocalist, sang "Because," "I Love you Truely" and "Ce este" (a prayer), sung as a benediction after the vows were spoken. The traditional wedding marches were used.

Serving as ushers were Howard Howle of Florence, brother of the bridegroom, and Franklin Childers, of this city, brother of the bride.

Bridesmaids were Mrs. Perry Elliott Taylor and Mrs. Linwood Hutchinson of this city, Mrs. Paul McCutcheon, Dillon, Miss Hettie Pitts, Sumter, cousin of the bridegroom, Miss Barbara Howle, cousin of the bridegroom, and Miss Pat Barefoot, both of Florence. Their gowns of pastel colored organdy, two in yellow, two in green, and two in pink, were fashioned with low ruffled necklines and circular skirts with bias peplum flounces. They wore matching organdy mitts and bouquets of pastel colored gladioli tied with orchid ribbon bows and streamers.

Mrs. Jimmy Whitehurst, Jr. of Florence was dame of honor. She wore a dress of deep pink organdy patterned after those of the bridesmaids, with matching mitts and carried a crescent bouquet of yellow gladioli tied with green ribbon.

The bride's maid of honor was Mrs. Joyce Sunsbury of this city, wearing blue organdy made like the others, with matching mitts and carrying a crescent bouquet of orchid gladioli tied with yellow ribbon.
Little Sallie Howle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Howle, was the flower girl. She wore white organdy made like the others and carried a small white basket filled with rose petals.

The ring bearer was Clarkie Howle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Howle, wearing a white suit and carrying the rings on a white satin pillow.

The bride entered with her stepfather, John Angus McVeigh, who gave her in marriage. Her wedding gown of traditional bridal satin was fashioned with sweetheart neckline outlined with a double row of seed pearls, leg-o-mutton sleeves pointed over the hands, form-fitting bodice and full skirt extending to a long train. Her three-tiered veil of filmy white net fell from a tiara of seed pearls and was worn over the face during the ceremony. She carried a bridal bouquet of white gladioli and tuberoses tied with satin ribbon. For ornaments she wore pearl eardrops and her paternal grandmother's wedding ring.

The bride's mother wore shell pink chiffon and a corsage of pink roses and carnations.
The bridegroom's mother wore yellow chiffon with a corsage of pink carnations.

Immediately after the ceremony, the bride's parents entertained at a wedding reception at Pineland Lodge on Cherokee Road. The entire wedding party formed the receiving line. During the evening pictures were taken of the bride and bridegroom cutting the wedding cake.

Mrs. Ben Kafer, assisted by a number of the bride's young friends, served the cake, and serving the punch were Mrs. O. L. Johnson, aunt of the bride, Mrs. R. A. McVeigh, and Mrs. Jim Street?. Green and white mints were passed.

Mrs. Ben Maynard presided over the bride's register.

The couple left for a wedding trip to the seashore, and on their return will be here, with the bride's parents, until September, when the bridgegroom will resume his studies at Clemson College. For travelling the bride wore a white gaberdine suit with white accessories and a corsage of yellow rosebuds.

Mrs. Howle is the daughter of Mrs. John Angus McVeigh of this city and the late John Franklin Childers, Jr. She is a graduate of Florence High School and is a graduate cosmetologist.

Mr. Howle is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Laverne Howle, Sr. of Florence. He served in the U.S. Army for a year and is attending Clemson College.

Among out of town guests at the wedding were Mrs. Martin Pitts of Sumter and Mrs. paul McCutcheon of Dillon.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Morgan Harbin LOONEY was a famous educator, author, and Chautauqua lecturer in the 19th Century. Before public schools became popular, he started schools in Georgia, Texas and Arkansas.

Morgan LOONEY was born 27 October 1827 in Fairplay, Oconee County, South Carolina. He was the son of Noah LOONEY (1799-1876) and Sarah Frances CLEVELAND MCNEIL (1802-1889), daughter of John McNEIL and Frances CLEVELAND. Noah was the son of Robert LOONEY (bef. 1749-1824), son of Adam LOONEY (1725-bef 1770), son of Robert LOONEY (bef 1692-1770) who probably emigrated from the Isle of Man about 1731 to Pennsylvania, then later settled in Augusta County, Virginia. He was named Morgan for Nancy MORGAN HART, a famous Revolutionary War heroine.

By the 1830 Census Noah LOONEY had moved to Carnesville in Franklin County, Georgia, where Morgan started school. “His education in Carnesville, GA was first under his cousin, Dr. Claud BARTON, then for about 5 years under Prof. Cecil HAMMOND, a Yale graduate. He learned elocution, mathematics, Latin, Greek, rhetoric, and composition.” He began teaching Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Math in Hartwell, Georgia when he was age fourteen.

On 26 December 1849 he married Sarah E PARKER, daughter of John D and Nancy (MERRITT) PARKER. Morgan’s brother George later wrote a letter to the editor of The Sun (30 Oct 1933, College Park, GA) about the wedding:

"...my brother, Morgan H. Looney had boarded at John D. Parker's to teach a school at Parker's Store--my sister Sarah Ann Looney was a pupil. B.B. Parker and Sarah Ann Parker were also students. At the close of the session, Miss Sarah Ann Looney became Mrs. Sarah Ann Parker, and Miss Sarah Ann Parker had changed her name to Sarah Ann Looney. The marriages had been consummated on successive nights as weddings and infaires as was the custom in those days. Mr. Parker went to Elbert Co. to teach. Mr. Looney to Palmetto where his wife had many relatives among the Redwines and Hearnes. Both became famous teachers."

By the 1850 Census Morgan and Sarah LOONEY had moved to Coweta County, Georgia. Sarah Parker LOONEY died there 28 Mar 1851. Her tombstone tombstone is in New Hope Methodist Church Cemetery, 5 miles north of Palmetto (Coweta County), GA.

Sacred
To the Memory of
Mrs. Sarah E. Looney
Who died in Coweta Co. on the 28t
of March 1851
She was the kind and obedient daughter,
The gentle and loving wife, the patient
and pious Christain.
At the hour of death she was perfectly
resigned and happy.
An Early flower ere the glory of its
summer, has faded away from earth
But it blooms again in heaven, to fade
and wither no more.
Lo soft remembrance drops the pious tear,
And Holy Love stands yet a mourner here.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Evidently Cora A TALIAFERRO and Edgar Hayden LOONEY eloped. A lawsuit was later brought by the State of Arkansas against the Baptist minister, J W SIKES, who performed the marriage without proper consent of the parents, C D and Jane TALIAFERRO. Cora lied about her age--she was 17 and not the legal 18. The court record has many errors, including at least three different dates for the marriage.

1. Defendant, J W Sikes, minister of the Gospel, in Benton county on 10th Mar. 1875, did solemnize a marriage contract between Hayden Looney and Cora A. Taliaferro, she being a minor between age 17 and 18, without first obtaining parents' consent.

2. The said J W Sikes minister of the Gospel in said county on 10 Mar 1875, did unlawfully perform a marriage ceremony between Hayden Looney (age 17-21) and Cora A. Taliaferro (female age 17-18), without the consent in person or writing of parents.

Defendant was tried upon the pleas of not guilty, convicted, and fined $100. He filed a motion for a new trial and appealed.

C D Taliaferro proved that he was the father of Cora A, she was over age 17 and under age 18 years at the time of her marriage to Hayden Looney, that he had never given his consent in person or in writing to the marriage and that he resided in Benton County.

Jane Taliaferro testified that the was the mother of Cora A, and that she was on the 24th day of Mar 1875, the time of the marriage, over 17 and under 18 years of age, and that the witness did not give her consent in person or writing.

The State proved that Mr. and Mrs. Looney were married 14 Mar 1875 and that Mr. Looney told the appellant that they were on a "runaway expedition or match."

"The State introduced the marriage certificate given by appellant, in which he certified that he was an ordained minister of the gospel, of the Baptist denomination ; that his credentials were recorded in the clerk's office of Benton county on 1st May, 1866, and that he solemnized the rites of matrimony on the 24th March, 1875, between Hayden Looney, age twenty-one years the 1st May, 1875, and Cora A. Taliaferro, age eighteen years the 9th November, 1874, both of Benton county. Dated 20th March, 1875."

"Mrs. Looney, on behalf of appellant, testified that in the evening of the 24th of March, 1875, and before the marriage, she told appellant she was eighteen years old on the 9th of March, 1874, and offered to give him a certificate to that effect. Other witnesses testified that she made such statement to appellant."

"Hayden Looney also testified that before appellant saw Cora A., she told him twice that she was eighteen years old."

A new trial was awarded, allowing for a new trial on the first count and "sustain the demurrer on the second count."

Looney, E. Hayden--Word was received her last Monday that E. Hayden Looney, formerly of this place, had passed away at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis on Sunday. Mr. Looney had been employed at Piedmont, Mo. for some time where he was taken sick and was removed to St. Louis Friday, the 30th ult. He never rallied after his arrival and death ensued on Saturday. A general collapse was the cause of death. Hayden was well known here and was postmaster for several years. In later years he had been in poor health and travelled much. For some time he was employed in Rogers as prescription clerk in a drug store. He was an excellent druggist and at one time was proprietor of one of the leading drugstores in Bentonville. He leaves a wife and two children to mourn their loss, to whom the Democrat joins with friends in tendering sympathy.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

I love the World War I Draft Cards. Not only do they contain a lot of important information, but they give a description of the person and are signed by them, so you have their own signature verifying that it is true. Since the information is provided by the person themselves (as opposed to death certificates where someone else gives the information) and it is an official government document, I usually give it my genealogy program's highest surety rating.

Of course, I know that they sometimes did not tell the truth, especially about their age. They might be underage lie to get to join service (like my uncle did), or they might lie to avoid the draft. I am not sure what is going on here with Edwin G HUDSON’s middle name.

On his death certificate and his obituaries Edwin’s middle name is GOODMAN. He is GOODMAN on several trees I have found, but perhaps they just used the data on the Death Certificate and the obituaries. On his World War I Draft Card it is GOODWIN, written and signed in his own hand. Since this is probably a family name, someone who researches this family will probably have to decide which is correct. A Bible record or a Birth Certificate would settle it.

Edwin G HUDSON married Mattie TAYLOR, daughter of Robert Gary and Mattie MOORE TAYLOR. He died from injuries received in an automobile accident.

Florence Morning News, Fri. Mar 6, 1953, page 2A, column 3

Edwin Hudson, Wreck Victim, Succumbs Here

Edwin Goodman Hudson, 53, of 305 South Jarrott Street, died at McLeod Infirmary yesterday afternoon of injuries he received in an automobile accident near Lake City February 8.

Mr. Hudson was a resident of Florence for the past 31 years. He was a native of New Zion, Clarendon County. He worked for the Home Furniture Company for the past 21? years and was a salesman and route superintendent at the time of his death.

Surviving are his widow; two sons, Earl and Walter A Hudson, Mrs. Jim Williams, Florence, and Mrs. D R McLeod, Sumter; three brothers, James C, W K, and O D (Jack) Hudson, all of Florence.

Funeral services will be be conducted tomorrow afternoon a1 o'cl Home. [sic] Officiating will be Dr. E E Colvin, pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church. Burial will be made in Mount Hope Cemetery.

Funeral services for Edwin Goodman Hudson, 53, of 305 South Jarrott Street, who died suddenly in a local hospital Thursday afternoon as a result of an automobile accident near Lake City February 8, will be conducted this afternoon at 3 o'clock at Waters Funeral Home by Dr. E. E. Colvin, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, and the Rev. A. C. Parker, pastor of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.

Mr. Hudson was the son of the late Ashby Orr and Lou Dennis Hudson of Sardis and New Zion. He was born at New Zion, Clarendon County, March 23, 1900, and had been a resident of Florence for the past 31 years. At the time of his death Mr. Hudson was a salesman and route superintendent for the Home Furniture Company of this city. He had held a position with this firm for 24 years and with the Jones Furniture Company for three years.

Surviving are his widow, the former Miss Mattie Taylor of Florence; two sons, Earl and Walter A Hudson, both of Florence; three sisters, Mrs. Bell Williams of Lake City, Mrs. Jim Williams of Florence, Mrs. D. R. McLeod of Sumter; three brothers, James C., W. K. and O. D. (Jack) Williams all of Florence; and several nieces and nephews.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Funeral services for Thomas M. Taylor, 42, will be conducted at 2 p.m. in The Church of God by the Rev. E? W. Black, pastor, and Dr. E. E. Colvin, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. Burial will be at St. David's Cemetery in Cheraw.

Mr. Taylor died Monday enroute to a local hospital. He made his home at 610 Rose Ave.
A native of Florence, Mr. Taylor was born February 2, 1915, a son of the late Gary and Madie Moore Taylor of Evergreen. At the time of his death he was employed by Tom Lundy Floor Covering Co. He previously worked with Florence Dehydration Plant and as a saleman for the Rainwater Furniture Co., Cheraw.

Mr. Taylor was twice married. His first marriage was to the former Geneva Wilson of Cheraw who died 17 years ago. From this marriage survives a daughter, Mrs. J. W. Cassidy of Cheraw. His second marriage was to the former Ena [Eva?] Bass of Florence who died in 1949. Surviving in addition to his daughter are a sister, Mrs. G. E. Hudson, and a brother, Girlie L Taylor, Florence; three half-sisters, Mrs. Robert J. Bryant of Jewitt City, Conn., Mrs. Ralph Cox and Miss Maria Taylor, Florence; three half-brothers, Gary D. Taylor, Brantley Victor Taylor, Barney D. Taylor, Florence, and his step-mother, Mrs. Allie T. Sanders, Florence.

The body will remain at the residence until it is taken to the church. Waters Funeral Home is in charge.

Monday, October 12, 2009

For many years Cyrus BLACK was one of my brick walls. I knew little except that Amy Melissa BLACK (1835-1871), wife of Morgan Harbin LOONEY (1821-1901), was said to be the daughter of Cyrus BLACK and Elizabeth HARKEY and that the BLACKs were said to be Scottish.

I have not posted to this blog since last Thursday (today is Monday), but I have been very, very busy researching all weekend. Last week a LOONEY related cousin named Katy contacted me and I started researching Amy and Morgan LOONEY's son Edgar Hayden LOONEY's line. In the process I also discovered more about the BLACKS, which was very exciting to me, since they have long been a blank page in my research.

About six months ago I was very excited to finally find Cyrus BLACK on a census record. The family was living in Coweta County, Georgia and there was little Amy Melissa BLACK, age 11. This was the first documented proof I had found of Amy's parentage and I now also had dates, ages, birth places and siblings for the family.

Previously I had found a Cyrus BLACK in Texas, but he was 20 years too young, so I thought he might be a son. Then this weekend, searching for children of Edgar Hayden LOONEY, I found Elizabeth BLACK with a previously unknown daughter.

What was even more exciting for me is I found Earl Mortimer "Mort" LOONEY also in the household. I have spent many hours searching for Mortimer, son of Morgan and Amy, and his siblings. After Amy's death Mort and his siblings were split up. Two of his children told me he went to live with his "old maiden aunts" and I also searched for them. It turns out he was living with his grandmother, Elizabeth (HARKEY) BLACK and his Aunt Lavantia BLACK HICKMAN, Amy's sister.

I feel certain that this is the correct Elizabeth BLACK since Mort is living with her. Lavantia must be her daughter since she is listed as Lewis Hickman's mother-in-law. They are living in Fayetteville, AR, which is where Amy died in 1871.

So from this information I am concluding that the previously found Texas Census is in fact Cyrus and Elizabeth BLACK, parents of Amy. Maybe when they moved to Texas, they decided to pass for twenty years younger than they really were. Or perhaps someone just unknowingly gave the wrong information. They were living in the Gilmer, Upshur, Texas area where Morgan, Amy, and other family members were teaching at the LOONEY School.

Cyrus also shows up on the Texas State Census Slave Schedules in 1860 with 16 slaves ages 28-2.

I still have not found them in 1870, but it looks as if Cyrus took out land grants in Arkansas in that year, so he was still alive then. There are a number of General Land Office (GLO) land grants for a Cyrus BLACK and I am not sure if they are all for this Cyrus.

He shows up on 1860 Arkansas State Censuses in Randolph and Jackson Counties, I assume for land taxes. They probably thought about moving to Arkansas (and maybe did), but then definitely moved to Texas. Then they later moved to Arkansas when Morgan and Amy went there.
By 1885 the HICKMANS, Elizabeth BLACK, and Mort LOONEY had moved to Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas.

[p.860] Edgar H. Looney, postmaster at Bentonville, and druggist, is a native of Hart County, Ga., born in 1856, and the son of Morgan H. and Emma M. (Black) Looney. The father was born in Georgia, was of English-Irish lineage, and was a teacher and attorney by profession. He was educated at the State University of Georgia, at Athens, and graduated from the same. For the last forty years he has devoted his time and attention to teaching. He was instrumental in securing the location of the State University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and was offered a position as teacher. From 1872 to 1875 he was principal of the Bentonville High-school, having 400 pupils in attendance. For the past four years he has resided at Bowman, Elbert Co., Ga., where he is now engaged in teaching, being principal of the high-school. He is also an attorney by profession, is a man of eminent ability, is a first-class criminal lawyer, and one of the leading educators of the South. His wife, Emma M. (Black) Looney, was born in Georgia, and died in 1871. She was the mother of four children: Edgar H., Charles E. (printer and editor, of Georgia), Mirtie and Mortimer B. Edgar H. was educated in Gilmore, Tex., and at the age of seventeen began clerking in a dry goods store at Sulphur Springs, Tex. In 1875 he located at Bentonville, and in March of the same year he married Miss Cora Taliaferro, a native of Bentonville, Ark., and the daughter of C. D. Taliaferro. They are the parents of three children: Charles, Amy and Lowrey. In 1876 Mr. Looney engaged in [p.861] the dry goods business at Bentonville with W. H. Cloe, and sold out three years later, but soon resumed the same line of business. In 1883 Mr. Looney purchased his partner's share, and has since then conducted the business alone. He is a young man of good business capacity and a first-class citizen. In 1877 he was appointed postmaster at Bentonville, Ark., and served three and a half years. March 1885, he was re-appointed to the same position. He was treasurer of the city of Bentonville two terms, is a life-long Democrat in politics, is a member of the K. of P. and K. of H., and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Jonathan SPORT (1790-1856) is the son of William SPORT (bef 1756-c 1820), the earliest known ancestor in the family. I included a "Monograph" on a previous post which is the only real proof I know of that Jonathan was William's son. It was taken from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 794-795, published by Brant & Fuller (1893), Madison, WI.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Historic marker placed at Sports, Brantley County, Alabama through the efforts of Jean Sport Brunner [pictured in purple blouse on the right] September 26, 2009. In the photo the marker is surrounded by attending Sport descendants.

Transcription 6 October 2009 by Teresa McVeigh:

SPORTS

The area known as Sports was settled by Jonathan Sport and his son, William, who migrated from South Carolina in 1842. Jonathan and William owned 600 acres of land in the area at one time, farming and operating a grist mill. William's sons John Solomon, William Garmon, Thomas Benjamin, Malachai, Daniel Webster, and Joseph Nathaniel have descendants living in the area in 2009.

Originally called "Piney Woods," Sports first appeared on an official railroad map in 1900.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Second Lt. Harry Mouton and Pvt. Francis Roark, who live only three-quarters of a mile apart on Manson road, Kittery, met recently in England where they are stationed with a U.S. Army air force unit. They hadn't seen each other for two years.

Private Roark, son of Mrs. Sybel Borgkvist, has been stationed with a military police division in England since October. The 21-year-old soldier, a bus driver in civilian life, entered the Army Jan 20, 1943, and took his basic training in Atlantic City, N.J.

Lieutenant Moulton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Moulton, is a graduate of Traip academy and worked as an apprentice at the Portsmouth Navy yard before his induction into the army two years ago. He went to England about a month ago.

Private Roark recently wrote the following letter to his mother from "somewhere in England:"

I got a big surprise yesterday. Harry Moulton is in the next barracks from me for a while. Boy! I was sure glad to see him. I guess he was the same. He hasn't been home for quite a while either. He said when he was coming over he flew over his house and saw it for the first time in two years. That's nearer than I got anyway. He won't be here very long.

How is everyone at home? I guess Joe Borgkvist must be somewhere neat Rome by now. What do you think of the news now? Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

The weather is pretty good now. It is still a little chilly once in a while though. Well, mom, I can't seem to think of any more that I can write, so I guess I will close, hoping to hear from all soon.

Private Borgkvist referred to in the letter is stationed with a medical corps unit in Italy. His wife, Mrs. Virginia Borgkvist of Manson Road, Kittery, recently received word from the war department that he had been slightly wounded in action. She says, however, that he has made no mention of his wounds in his letters home.

A chipper and caulker at the navy yard before his induction Aug 25 1942, Private Borgkvist received Army training at Camp Pickett, Va. and Camp Edwards, Mass. before he was sent overseas about a year ago.